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Re: Saxophone Help, Please

Author: Chris P
Date: 2009-05-05 23:25

When the sax is assembled, make sure there's a small gap between the shift lever at the top of the socket (the bar with a piece of plastic tubing on it) and the crook key when the 8ve key is at rest (as you'd have between a clarinet's throat A and G# keys), but this gap should be around 0.5-1mm depending on how much the shift lever moves when you fully press the 8ve key. You adjust this gap by bending the lower (loop) part of the crook key until you're happy with the clearance between the inner part of the loop and the shift lever.

The shift lever shouldn't lift up to apply any pressure on the crook key at all when the 8ve key is pressed while LH3 is closed (but it may move sideways slightly on Bundys and others with a similarly designed 8ve mechanism).

If it does lift up to force the crook key open, either bending the 8ve key touch in towards the body, building up the existing stopper cork (by sticking on a small piece of cork of the correct thickness) or replacing the entire cork on the underside of the 8ve key touch with a thicker cork (and trimming it to the required thickness) will put this right.

The shift lever has to make contact with the crook key (but not to open it) in order for the lower 8ve vent to open while holding LH3 closed, but it shouldn't lift the crook key at all until LH3 is released, and only then should the pressure be great enough to open the crook key (the LH3 spring should be strong enough to do this).

Another cause for the crook key to open too early is if there's not enough venting (opening) on LH3 as this will transfer pressure from the linkage from LH3 to the lower 8ve vent which will in turn actuate the shift lever opening the crook key.

And a combination of too much travel in the 8ve key touch (if the key has been bent outwards or the key cork has compressed or fallen off) and not enough venting of LH3 (which can be caused if the LH3 touch has been bent upwards, or the key cork/felt at the top end of the linkage from LH3 is too thick, or if the LH3 pad has been replaced with one that's too thick) will also cause the crook key to open along with the lower 8ve vent.

It's worthwhile examining the 8ve mechanism on saxes in detail and learning to diagnose problems, and also to learn to put them right.

Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.

Post Edited (2009-05-05 23:37)

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